a brunch at Hecho en Dumbo

A Recent Manhattan transplant, Hecho en Dumbo is a name that has been in the back of my mind for a few years now. Having read a number of positive reviews, I was anxious to sample the traditional Mexico City menu. 

We entered the open-air venue, and settled at the bar. The interior is basic with weathered wood and low light. The brunch menu includes a free cocktail with entree for $17. Chris ordered the tequila-based bloody mary with spiced rim and cucumber. For myself, the margarita with silver tequila and fresh squeezed lime juice.

For our mains, I leaned to the Heuvos Divoriados (two eggs- split with a line of pureed black beans/cojita, one side chile serrano salso verde, the other in salsa ranchero)  he selected the Pozole Rojo (hearty free-range pork and hominy soup with radish, oregano and chiles guajillo). A tray of salsas was also offered for dressing our plates.

It's quite obvious that the chef pays extraordinary detail to the quality of ingredients he uses. The dishes were fresh and comforting. At roughly $70 for two (we had a second round of cocktails), its a bit steep for brunch. I'd be interested in returning for a date night.

a dinner at Mexican Radio

Emerging from the depths of the J train at Bowery, we slushed our way towards Mexican Radio- at the cusp of Nolita. The dimly lit venue is masked behind thick curtains and packed worse than most commuter trains. After finessing our name on the books, an elbow-checking was needed to reach the bar. We took advantage of the bar special: grande house margarita $5 (regularly $12) with Fourquare check-in.

Before we could take more than a much needed few sips, the hostess collected us to lead the way to our table down the stairs. Hot sauce dominated the decor, with a glass case proudly displaying copious varieties.


We decided to share three dishes: Mac N' Cheese, Radio Nachos and the Steak on Fries. The Mac comes 'Mexican-style,' spiked with corn, jalapenos and pablanos. The menu boasted it's 15 minutes of fame in In-Touch magazine. The nachos come arranged in a circle- each chip individually dressed with black beans, smokey guiajillo pepper sauce, homemade crema and melty cheese. Voted Best in NYC, they were pretty tasty and satisfying with the tart margaritas (we were absolutely on round 2 at this fork in the road!).

And our glorious finale: the steak on fries is a mess. A mess of comforting sins. Hunks of steak marinateed tomato-garlic chili sauce over crispy thin fries- topped with a slop of melted cheese, salsa, guacamole and crema.

La Flor Del Paraiso

Stepping into La Flor Del Paraiso, I immediately regretted my decision. Although take-out seemed to be flowing through with a few delivery guys, the only other person eating inside was a bored waitress. I decided to sit down and remain point-positive. After all, running errands at Target in Downtown Brooklyn would certainly be more palatable after a few cocktails.

I sipped the happy hour special: peach cosmo ($6) and nibbled on chips and housemade salsa while glancing over the menu. The selections included Southwestern classics- enchiladas, nachos, grilled octopus and avocado salad. With only a slight appetite, I requested a beef empanada. The dish is complimented by sour cream, guacamole and pico de gallo. Quite enjoyable, albeit nothing particularly exciting.

light bites at Mexican Radio

The weekend brought shivers. We forged on through SoHo for post-holiday shopping. After taking a few cocktails at other venues, Veloce looked appealing. The hostess politely explained that a private party was being set up and suggested a few other spots. Among those, we chose the closest: Mexican Radio. We sipped house margaritas on the rocks while taking in the menu.

While I wasn't particularly hungry, I agreed that we should nibble on something to stave off our afternoon alcohol intake. The verdict: house made chips and salsa, as well the Quesadillas Suave: stuffed with pica de gallo, topped with guajillo pepper sauce, crema and queso añejo.

Perhaps we ordered the wrong thing? Was I not intoxicated enough? (The -13 wind chill was quite sobering!) I simply cannot agree with New York Magazine's 9.0 of 10 rating. The margaritas tasted like grocery store mix, the chips appeared store bought- the quesadilla: bland! To boot: obnoxious mothers baby-talking their grade-school aged children+husbands.

images: nymag